There are several different ways to sprout. Here's the technique that I use, and everyone is welcome to add their techniques too.
I sprout in a mason jar with plastic canvas mesh in the lid. Like this:
although I'm actually using the smaller jelly jar size now.
Mason jars can be found in large grocery stores, sold in multi-packs. Plastic canvas can be found in the needlework department of craft stores like Michaels. The standard size seems to be #7 (the size indicates the number of holes per inch), which is fine for bigger seeds. But for small seeds like millet it’s best to use a finer mesh (#10).
At night, put the seeds/grains in the jar and put the lid on. Rinse them a few times by pouring water in, swirling it around a little, and draining. Don't drain the water the last time; let the grains soak overnight. I add a little apple cider vinegar to discourage mold and bacteria.
In the morning, rinse and drain. It's recommended that you leave the jar tilted downward so it can continue draining, but I live in the desert and simply laying the jar on its side works well for me. Rinse and drain again in the middle of the day (optional) and once again at night (not optional). In the morning rinse it one last time and give it to the birds. Right before feeding you can add red palm oil, chopped veggies, or other supplemental items if you want. Total prep time: about 36 hours. Total time actually spent working on it: about three minutes.
I start a new batch every night. So I have two jars going every night: the one that was just started, and the one that was started the previous night and will be served in the morning.
I use human-quality grains from the bulk food bins at the local whole-foods grocery. Stuff like wheat, kamut, spelt, barley, rye, etc - anything that looks like a seed. Quinoa is a great addition. So is your regular birdseed. Lentils, mung beans, garbanzos, and adzuki beans are good, but other beans are best avoided unless you're willing to cook them after they've sprouted. Even the acceptable beans need to have the tails sprouted out to a length of 1/4" to 1/2" to neutralize toxins. Grains don't have this issue, and are considered to be at their nutritional peak when the root is just barely starting to stick out of the seed. For bigger birds you can include bigger items like pumpkin seeds and popcorn.
You can do the same thing with other types of equipment, like the bowl and strainer technique. The strainer (or colander, coffee filter, etc) should fit comfortably inside the bowl. Everything is the same as above, except that you put your sprouting seeds in the strainer, which is put in the water-filled bowl. When you're ready to rinse you just lift out the strainer. Several commercial sprouters are available, and the Easy Sprout seems to be the most popular.
It's possible to store sprouts in the refrigerator for a few days, although it's so easy to make a new batch that I've never attempted to store any. Other people can probably offer better advice on doing it. You can't just put them in the fridge and ignore them because it takes some vigilance to avoid problems with bacteria etc. The technique that I've seen recommended the most is to continue rinsing them daily, drain them well, then store them in the refrigerator in a covered container with a paper towel in the bottom.
Some vigilance is need after the sprouts have been served too. Like any moist food, they provide a nice environment for mold and bacteria. So you have to make sure to take them out of the cage before they go bad. The amount of time that they stay good will vary depending on the humidity and temperature in your house. It could be anywhere from a couple of hours to all day long, and the safe period will fluctuate from day to day and season to season.
I sprout in a mason jar with plastic canvas mesh in the lid. Like this:
although I'm actually using the smaller jelly jar size now.
Mason jars can be found in large grocery stores, sold in multi-packs. Plastic canvas can be found in the needlework department of craft stores like Michaels. The standard size seems to be #7 (the size indicates the number of holes per inch), which is fine for bigger seeds. But for small seeds like millet it’s best to use a finer mesh (#10).
At night, put the seeds/grains in the jar and put the lid on. Rinse them a few times by pouring water in, swirling it around a little, and draining. Don't drain the water the last time; let the grains soak overnight. I add a little apple cider vinegar to discourage mold and bacteria.
In the morning, rinse and drain. It's recommended that you leave the jar tilted downward so it can continue draining, but I live in the desert and simply laying the jar on its side works well for me. Rinse and drain again in the middle of the day (optional) and once again at night (not optional). In the morning rinse it one last time and give it to the birds. Right before feeding you can add red palm oil, chopped veggies, or other supplemental items if you want. Total prep time: about 36 hours. Total time actually spent working on it: about three minutes.
I start a new batch every night. So I have two jars going every night: the one that was just started, and the one that was started the previous night and will be served in the morning.
I use human-quality grains from the bulk food bins at the local whole-foods grocery. Stuff like wheat, kamut, spelt, barley, rye, etc - anything that looks like a seed. Quinoa is a great addition. So is your regular birdseed. Lentils, mung beans, garbanzos, and adzuki beans are good, but other beans are best avoided unless you're willing to cook them after they've sprouted. Even the acceptable beans need to have the tails sprouted out to a length of 1/4" to 1/2" to neutralize toxins. Grains don't have this issue, and are considered to be at their nutritional peak when the root is just barely starting to stick out of the seed. For bigger birds you can include bigger items like pumpkin seeds and popcorn.
You can do the same thing with other types of equipment, like the bowl and strainer technique. The strainer (or colander, coffee filter, etc) should fit comfortably inside the bowl. Everything is the same as above, except that you put your sprouting seeds in the strainer, which is put in the water-filled bowl. When you're ready to rinse you just lift out the strainer. Several commercial sprouters are available, and the Easy Sprout seems to be the most popular.
It's possible to store sprouts in the refrigerator for a few days, although it's so easy to make a new batch that I've never attempted to store any. Other people can probably offer better advice on doing it. You can't just put them in the fridge and ignore them because it takes some vigilance to avoid problems with bacteria etc. The technique that I've seen recommended the most is to continue rinsing them daily, drain them well, then store them in the refrigerator in a covered container with a paper towel in the bottom.
Some vigilance is need after the sprouts have been served too. Like any moist food, they provide a nice environment for mold and bacteria. So you have to make sure to take them out of the cage before they go bad. The amount of time that they stay good will vary depending on the humidity and temperature in your house. It could be anywhere from a couple of hours to all day long, and the safe period will fluctuate from day to day and season to season.